TOILET ROLL - UNHYGIENIC RE-SALE & PRICE GOUGING

[canarykim_usa]

   RE: The current Toilet Roll situation 

➡️  Folks,  price gouging is simple to stop.   Simply DON'T BID!  DON'T BUY IT!  You can discourage sellers this way. 

➡️  For those of you desperate - and stupid enough to buy an opened package of toilet roll - and some sellers are even offering USED TOILET ROLLS - I ask you, are you mad???  ➡️  Are you not concerned about the contaminants that are being passed along to you on a toilet roll that's been hanging in somebody else's bathroom!!!???  Even an allegedly unused roll will have some contaminants embedded just from the sheer touching and handling.  You are putting yourself at risk!! 

➡️  I  hope that everyone reading this would join me in searching out at least 10 sellers selling USED TOILET ROLL or individual unpackaged toilet roll and REPORT THEIR LISTING.  We talk about "social distancing".  Many shops and public venues are closed - and YOU want to use a toilet roll handled and mailed to you by some stranger?!

➡️  Additionally, the Corona virus is an upper respiratory virus-  not a  gastrointestinal one. So what do you need all this toilet paper for anyway?

➡️Please, everyone reading this, let's help to shut down this virus by shutting down the unhygienic re-sale of used and unpackaged toilet roll.  Everyone REPORT at least 10 listings today!!

Thanks!  😁

[john-tropi]

"Closing down eBay for potentially months . . . "

I might agree if your claim were factual. But so far it remains a personal opinion without any supporting evidence and so I can't accept it as factual.

Software is amended frequently, as a matter of routine. I am unaware of any occasion on which this very common requirement has resulted in business close downs of more than a few hours at most.

In any case, given the almost universal and growing illegality of USA price gouging, such a fundamental change in business protocols might well become a compulsory requirment - even if it did require a major software re-write.

[john-tropi]

"Some people have just become so obsessed with this topic"

Everyone is free to choose what they read or do not read, preferably without making pejorative remarks about or trying to suppress discussion of an extremely important subject.

[john-tropi]

Very well put, wgrif38.

I  am in full agreement with your consistent approach to upholding ethical business/trading standards. I also strongly support your robust rejection of any attempts to suppress your right to post your principled opinion.

In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to identify and reject dishonesty and underhanded business practices. Leaving bad behaviour unchallenged is tantamount to endorsing and encouraging it.

Remember John F Kennedy:

 “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

[mudshark61369]

@pebmets, @john-tropi 

  "...Maybe EBAY can set up a system where every listing needs to be vetted before going up. I know this will delay postings, but something has to be done to prevent hoarding...".

Just delay postings?  There are so many ways around the system it would back log the millions of new and re-listed items from being posted for weeks.  eBay is already pulling those listings, I saved several that I reported and they are now gone, so ebay is doing something about them.  No one can stop the "hoarders", besides it is not hoarders posting the listings it is opportunists who raided stores in hopes of cashing in on the crisis. 

If you look at the number of posts on all of these boards, you can see how disgusted people are about the listings, and I seriously doubt many are willing to pay the prices being asked for the items. If they take the advice given on all of the topics, they can help ebay by reporting the listings.

"Oh, so you think a slight delay isn't worth it for people' safety?
How long it might take EBay to implement is irrelevant in the present circumstances".

Tell that to the legitimate sellers of non-essential items whose listings would not be listed without who knows how long of a delay.  Many may be people selling off things because they are now or will be out of work and have bills to pay.  What about their ability to be able to provide for themselves or their families? 

Wouldn't it have made more sense for stores to have put a limit on the sales of TP, sanitizers and masks, when the buying trend began in the first place?  Sure people could still have gone from store to store buying the limit, but that sort of thing happens all of the time when there is a shortage of anything in the first place.  

[pebmets]

On the boards there were two different ways to report gougers? What is the official way?

It should not be too difficult to add one more item to the reporting system, (Price Gouging - Basic Necessity - Cornona Virus).  Please don't tell me that is a big coding effort.  Companies make modifications all of the time.  I am sure there is a test environment then it could be added relatively quick.

You mention this will hurt other listers not involved with this?  True, but look at what other companies are going through.

- retailers are being shut down

- hotels closing (people having no jobs)

- beaches closed because spring breakers did not care about the rules.  (they go home and now we still don't have access)

- restaurants closing.

Many of these things are happening because the few will not listen to what needs to be done for the benefit of all.  We are in uncharted areas and we are all sacrificing for things we never thought we had to do.  The people in NY, CA, IL, all being basically forced to stay home.

If people are selling toilet paper at outrageous prices, with the ongoing shortage, where are they getting it from?  Most people would not be selling something that they believe will be difficult to get for some time.   Many, not all, purchased a significant amount to make a profit here.   How do you explain thousand s of listings?  It feeds on itself. People see it, they run out searching and they can make 4x profit

I understand EBAY is doing what they can, but they just do not have the resources to keep up.  If every other retailer needs to make temporary sacrifices why not sellers here.  Instead of saying it is too difficult to be done, there has to be ways of at least slowing it down.  To say it hurts others is not an excuse.  Again, every other retailer and person is sacrificing.  I still did not see toilet paper on the list of banned protects.  How difficult is it to do that?

There are many legitimate sellers on EBAY, but how hard is to prevent people that just created id's from selling?  Look at some of these gougers and look when there id's were created.  Some innocent people will get caught in the process. I am stuck at home, but I understand it is for the greater good of all.  

We will get through this, but to make sure necessities are available to all, some sacrifices will have to be made.  Saying it will not help is not the answer.  If it doesn't help, then look for another way instead of saying it is too difficult.

[john-tropi]

"Saying it will not help is not the answer. If it doesn't help, then look for another way instead of saying it is too difficult."

Absolutely right.

There are far too many people whose only "contribution" is to mock and denigrate the constructive suggestions of others.  Their "Can't do" attitude is totally negative and adds to the problems. There are always solutions, but they require a positive CAN DO attitude and constructive thought.

[john-tropi]

"Saying it will not help is not the answer. If it doesn't help, then look for another way instead of saying it is too difficult."

Absolutely right.

There are far too many people whose only "contribution" is to mock and denigrate the constructive suggestions of others.  Their "Can't do" attitude is totally negative and adds to the problems. There are always solutions, but they require a positive CAN DO attitude and constructive thought.

[canarykim_usa]

Okay, I see e-Bay have now listed "Price Gouging" in their series of drop-down menus.

First, click the "Report item" link on the listing.

Then in the series of drop-downs, select:

Category:                    Prohibited & Restricted items

Reason For Report:  Price Gouging

Detailed Reason:      Hygiene items (or whichever applies)

I suggest everyone, who has time, report as many as you can.

We are making a difference!  I have already witnessed several listings removed.

[wgrif38]

Its not just a topic its wanting to see resultswe def should not downplay it or act like its soething other then what it is

[wgrif38]

ROFLMAO🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤯🤯

[wgrif38]

JUST WOW!

[wgrif38]

Thank you. It is two people here that are responsible .i will be posting 3 emails and the two names behind it...Your response is very well said!

[john-tropi]

To the doubters and naysayers who mock and seek to trivialize  this  matter - it is not a game or a debate.

Please see the web site of

State of California Department of Justice

Here is a short excerpt. There is much more and it is not voluntary, it carries the force of LAW.

"California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today sent several letters calling on large online marketplaces to intensify their efforts to combat price gouging related to novel coronavirus—or COVID-19—on their platforms. Many platforms are currently, or were until recently, flooded with potentially illegal postings by third-party sellers for products listed at highly inflated prices. 

“Price gouging during a time of national emergency is not only disgraceful, it is illegal,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Large online marketplaces have a responsibility to the public to take immediate and vigorous steps to eliminate predatory behavior, which they know is illegal, from their platforms."

[canarykim_usa]

You know,

it has occurred to me that buying toilet paper from any source at any price

is well, 

just money straight down the toilet!  

🤣  🤣  🤣

Go Green!

Use wash rags instead

[pebmets]

It's a start, but the rate of adds is outpacing the rate of removals. The State Attorney General of California has the right idea, only long established sellers should be able to see the product, not everyone and no auction style bidding on these basic essentials. In addition, EBAY should report all people price gouging to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for prosecution, (it is a crime). Setting an example will make people think twice before doing it. For people who want to help report the price gougers, by definition in many states price gouging is to take the selling price of the product and raising it over 10% more after the state of emergency has been declared.

[pebmets]

I just hope ebay doesn't think adding a category for price gouging should be the only step. They are still falling behind on the removals. The attorney general of California has given EBAY some action items. Let's see if EBAY attempts to implement them especially, no auctions for essential products, also check shipping prices to see if the gougers are trying to circumvent checks for list price, and not everyone should be allowed to post these products. Ebay may be trying, but in 24 hours there are now 1200 more posts, ~28,4000 total, for toilet paper which means the posters and re-posters are adding faster than EBAY can subtract. Obviously reporting alone is not enough.